How Shohei Ohtani’s Postseason Feat Ranks Among All-Time Greats

Shohei Ohtani’s jaw-dropping performance in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers has sent shockwaves through the sports world.

Three home runs, six shutout innings, and 10 strikeouts—Ohtani just did all of that. The Dodgers’ two-way superstar delivered a postseason display that bridges the gap between power hitting and dominant pitching. That’s something you almost never see in modern baseball.

Analysts and fans are scrambling to put this feat into context. Suddenly, everyone’s talking about the greatest individual performances under playoff pressure, and Ohtani’s name is right in the mix.

Ohtani’s Two-Way Brilliance: A New Standard for Postseason Greatness

In an era obsessed with specialization, Ohtani feels like a throwback. He can change a game from the batter’s box and from the mound, and that just doesn’t happen anymore.

His Game 4 heroics weren’t just about the numbers. They’ve become a defining moment in Dodgers history—and maybe in all of baseball’s postseason lore.

Comparisons to Legends Across Sports

The sports media wasted no time comparing Ohtani’s performance to legendary playoff outings. Some folks brought up Michael Jordan’s 63-point explosion against the Celtics in ’86. That game went to double overtime, but the Bulls still lost.

Others mentioned Elgin Baylor’s wild 61-point, 22-rebound night in the 1961 NBA Finals. That’s the kind of dominance people remember for decades.

Baseball has its own benchmarks. Don Larsen threw the only perfect game in World Series history back in 1956. Then there’s Reggie Jackson—three home runs in Game 6 of the 1977 Fall Classic, earning him the nickname Mr. October.

Jackson’s feat was wild: three first-pitch homers in a clincher. But even those legends never mixed pitching dominance and offensive power in one game the way Ohtani just did.

Why Ohtani’s Feat Is Truly Unprecedented

Baseball historians love to talk about Babe Ruth’s two-way skills, especially in the postseason with the Red Sox. But Ruth’s best playoff games leaned either toward hitting or pitching—not both at once, and certainly not like this.

That’s what separates Ohtani’s Game 4: he combined two elite skill sets in one postseason showcase. It’s honestly hard to wrap your head around.

Dual-Role Dominance in Context

In football or hockey, even the greats stick to their roles. Baseball’s one of the few sports where a single player can impact both sides of the ball.

Ohtani took full advantage of that, and he did it in the playoffs against a legit opponent. The pressure and stakes couldn’t have been higher.

Veteran sportswriter Sam Smith even admitted Reggie Jackson’s World Series performance might’ve come with more situational pressure. Still, he said Ohtani’s achievement was something Major League postseason history had never seen before.

The Road Ahead: Can Ohtani Repeat the Magic?

Now, with the Dodgers about to face the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series, anticipation is everywhere. Fans, media, players—you name it, they’re buzzing.

Los Angeles knows they’ve got a once-in-a-generation talent. Ohtani can change the game whether he’s 60 feet, six inches from the plate or swinging the bat.

What Makes Ohtani’s Run Historic

When you look at the numbers and the context, Ohtani’s NLCS Game 4 stands out. Here’s what he did:

• Three home runs in a postseason game
• Six shutout innings on the mound
• Ten strikeouts against a top-tier lineup

Each one of those would be impressive on its own. Together, they push the boundaries of what we thought a single player could do under the postseason spotlight.

Final Thoughts: A Performance for the Ages

I’ve been covering sports for three decades now. In that time, I’ve watched legends emerge and unforgettable moments unfold right before my eyes.

Ohtani’s Game 4? That one stands out. It’s not just about the numbers—there’s something almost mythical about what he did out there.

Honestly, who knows when we’ll see anyone match that wild mix of skill, timing, and sheer willpower again? Could be years, could be a lifetime.

As the World Series approaches, it’s hard not to wonder: does Ohtani have another show-stopper in him?

For now, though, this game alone puts Shohei Ohtani’s name up there with Jordan, Baylor, Jackson, Larsen, and Ruth. He’s earned his spot in the postseason hall of greatness.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Column: How does Shohei Ohtani’s feat stack up against the greatest postseason performances of all time?